First off, Hello everyone! New to the forum. I've been searching old posts a lot and reading up, but can't figure this one out.

I need help with my stepson's 2001 Eton TXL 90. It starts up fine, idles fine, and will just run like a top, but then, without warning, it will just stall and die. It acts just like you turned off the gas. (BTW, I know about the gas in the tank issue with the Etons, I found that out the hard way already. This has happened on a full tank before.) Sometimes it will crank back up, but more often, you have to let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, then after that, it will crank right up on the first hit as if nothing ever happened! It's about to drive me nuts. He rides it every day, and it'll go a couple of days without missing a beat, then the next day it will do this again.

I have taken apart and cleaned the carb, replaced the fuel filter and checked all of the fuel lines (replaced one of them), cleaned the air filter, and replaced the spark plug (even though the old one looked fine). I also checked the fuel cap vent tube, it is not obstructed. The new spark plug looks great, it's a beer bottle brown color.

Any ideas or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Unfortunately, the local Eton dealer just went out of business, and the nearest one is about 60 miles away. I'm really trying to exhaust all possibilities before I take it all the way out there.

Thanks!
Jason

 

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Sure sounds like you covered all the gas flow items.

The next time it dies and won't fire up, remove the spark plug and check for spark. A while ago, I remember reading about a mini that did the same thing. 4 dealers looked at it and couldn't find the problem. He finally took it to a Racing Specialist and he got it going 1st try. Call it inner voice or experience. If wondering, that mini did have spark. Weak spark. He replaced its stator assembly and it fired up 1st kick - been running great ever since. Not too sure if the stator is gone in our E-Ton (this is very rare on an E-Ton) but it can happen.

Hope this idea helps....

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I'd check all the wiring you can. We have an 04 Viper and within 6 mos. the key switch was all corroded inside and caused it to not start. We used to have a old Honda 70 that did something similar to what you describing and after hours and hours of trying to figure out what was wrong with it I found a wire coonection that was kind of loose coming from the stator. Once I cleaned it and tightened it up a little we never had that problem again.

 

Thanks guys,

Now that you mentioned it, here lately the key is getting to where it is hard to insert/remove. I'll check that key switch and all the wiring tonight. Unfortunately, looks like Katrina is headed our way tonght/tomorrow, so it may be a few days before he can ride it and get it to stall again so I can check the spark.

Jason

 

Well, I've checked all of the wiring, everything looks fine. I checked for spark at the plug after it died, and it did have good spark.

One thing I did notice though, the spark plug was wet with oil. Not sludged up or caked on with oil, but just a little wet. I haven't noticed this before, I guess because I installed this new plug and the last time I checked it, it only had been ridden for an hour or two with the new plug.

Any more ideas?

 

Does it have a spark arrestor? If so clean it. Could be a stuck choke (assuming it's auto).

 

Did you take the back of the key switch apart?

 

Raptorlegs,
From what I've been told, it does have a spark arrestor. Where exactly is it located, and how do I get it apart to clean it? I'm new to 2 strokes, so I'm kinda learning as I go. As far as the choke, it does have an auto choke. When you first start it up (cold) and it idles for a minute or two, the idle speed will drop (sounding like the choke is disengaging).

newnick,
No, I didn't actually take the key switch apart, I just inspected it and it seems to be fine.

I'm the first to admit that I'm definitely no expert, but I really think that my problem is somehow fuel related, because when it dies, it acts like it is flooded. It stalls/bogs down, and will not start back up unless you let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

 

Look for a screw or two on back of the tailpipe. You should be able to take it out and clean it.

 

Welcome to the forum jdean28, Try disconnecting the choke after the quad warms up, and see if it still dies.